VFW Post 3278 with the Men’s & Ladies Auxiliary will commemorate the World War II Invasion of Normandy at their meeting on Wednesday June 12, 2013 at 6:00 PM at the VFW Post located at 2300 Stephen F. Austin. The public is invited to join in the observation.

VFW organizers share the following historical account:

Despite unfavorable weather forecasts, General Eisenhower made the decision to attack on June 6, 1944.  At 0200 that morning, one British and two American airborne divisions were dropped behind the beaches in order to secure routes of egress from the beaches for the seaborne forces. After an intensive air and naval bombardment, assault waves of troops began landing at 0630.

More than 5,000 ships and 4,000 ship-to-shore craft were employed in the landings. British forces on the left flank and U.S. forces on the right had comparatively easy going, but U.S. forces in the center (Omaha Beach) met determined opposition.

Nevertheless, by nightfall of the first day, large contingents of three British, one Canadian, and three American infantry divisions, plus three airborne divisions, had a firm foothold on Hitler’s “fortress Europe.”

Pictured above:  The US Army lands in Normandy, France, on Omaha Beach, 6:30 AM on June 6, 1944.

*USA official photo, contributed by VFW.